Smart Watch

[Davey B]

I'm looking at smartwatches....I was away at the weekend with a group of pals mountain biking. One had a Garmin Fenix 7 and it seemed to do everything, right down to telling him how much rest he needed before exercising again. As someone who has had atrial fibrillation 6 times, 6 stop/start cardioversions and finally a catherter ablation...and as someone who has very fitful sleep, I figure it may help me keeping fit, not overdoing stuff etc. Anyone got any experience ? Fenix 7, Samsung Ultra ?
(I've spent 40 yrs doing fitness and health by 'feel' although I once did an 8 week 'get fit to cycle 150 miles with 15k feet of climbing in a day using a scientific regime that worked brilliantly....)

 

[JJH]

I’m not fit. I can only tell you my experience. Apple. It’s brilliant. Don’t buy a cheapo watch. Few in family. Treat as throw aways. JJH

 

[Davey B]

That's my issue JJ.....the stuff I'm looking at is £400+ ...and I'm a yorkshireman......I'm sort of hoping o can get more from my exercise, rest and sleep knowing what's going on and £400 may be a small price to pay for that !

 

[EPG_19]

garmin fenix 7 is a fitness watch
Samsung watch ultra is more of a smart watch.

I have a fenix 7, but wear my samsung watch day to day and only put on my fenix if I am going away or doing long exercises.

 

[Santa-2512]

Look at the Huawei Gt pro

Lot of watch for little money

 

[Mr Derek]

I'm looking at smartwatches....I was away at the weekend with a group of pals mountain biking. One had a Garmin Fenix 7 and it seemed to do everything, right down to telling him how much rest he needed before exercising again. As someone who has had atrial fibrillation 6 times, 6 stop/start cardioversions and finally a catherter ablation...and as someone who has very fitful sleep, I figure it may help me keeping fit, not overdoing stuff etc. Anyone got any experience ? Fenix 7, Samsung Ultra ?
(I've spent 40 yrs doing fitness and health by 'feel' although I once did an 8 week 'get fit to cycle 150 miles with 15k feet of climbing in a day using a scientific regime that worked brilliantly....)

I'm not sure your "fitness and health by feel" is really working, with you having had all that heart stuff. Have you considered a beer and burger diet? It can't be any worse and at least you'll enjoy it.

Instead of spending hundreds on a smart watch (Apple SE Mk 2 is as good as most need) try a personal trainer who can tailor a programme to your needs. I have 1:1 pilates and it's brilliant. Designed to take into account my various health concerns including broken back that hasn't healed properly. 3 months in and my movement and flexibility have improved loads and I'm taking way fewer painkillers.

 

[Davey B]

Can't do the beer and burger diet due to past cancer and then repeated pancreatitis and gall stones (despite having had my gall bladder and other bits removed...ain't the body weird !)
The nearest fitness coaches to me are 35-40 miles away...and do gym work. I don't want to do gym work...or travel a 70 or 80 mile round trip.
I seem to do OK with what I want to do, exercise and fitness wise...I just want to see if a smart/fitness watch or whatever one wants to call it will help me that little bit more.

 

[DJ123]

There's lots of options within the Garmin range which does what you want, but for a lot less money than the Fenix level.

 

[Davey B]

There's lots of options within the Garmin range which does what you want, but for a lot less money than the Fenix level.

When I look on the Garmin website and include sleep score, it shows them starting at £180 with the Vivomove Sport ( I seem to be able to source one for c £150) I'll have a closer look, cheers

 

[AdrianS]

What exactly do you want your smart watch to do?
I’ve got an older Garmin vivoactiv 4 and that does more than I require and links to my phone, Garmin cycle computer and the Garmin app. Buy second hand and are affordable.
Apple Watches are good, but need charging more frequently than Garmin, but my Garmin doesn’t support all payment cards.
All my cycling mates wear Garmin, and some of these are serious fitness bods.

 

[mspenz]

A Garmin Instinct 2 ( Solar if you desire, I have, even charges up in Scottish sun ! ), will monitor all that..some good deals on Amazon.
I use mine for cycling, running and saving routes..tells me how my body battery is and monitors and details sleep when I want..or not .

 

[Barnoe]

I have a Samsung smart watch which I put a steel bracelet on and bezel cover so it looks like a normal watch.
many people are shocked when they realise what it is, I like this about it as I don't like all glass smart watches.


My Son has the Garmin Fenix 8 with solar.
Its a big watch and I like it, it has a lot of features the same as my Samsung but unlike my Samsung that needs charging every 2 days, this Garmin goes for 3 week between charges.
Incidentally, he bought this watch to replace his Apple watch ultra he only had 6 month and didn't like, he says the Garmin is a much better watch.

Paying with your watch cannot be underestimated.
its something you don't consider as you have never done it, but once you start its a game changer and you wonder why you haven't done this sooner lol

 

[dp66]

Garmin all day long for me, I have tried an Apple Watch but the charging was a faff and it doesn't do some of the metrics I want in the way I want them.

However, for me the biggest issue is that as an iPhone user, Apple restricts the ability to reply to messages via your watch on anything other than an AW - so applies to every other briand. On y Garmin, I can see them come in but can't reply whereas on the AW you could send a quick OK etc directly. It's a small issue that is easily resolved by pulling out your phone.

Not sure is this is relevant to the OP but thought I'd flag it.

 

[Davey B]

What exactly do you want your smart watch to do?
I’ve got an older Garmin vivoactiv 4 and that does more than I require and links to my phone, Garmin cycle computer and the Garmin app. Buy second hand and are affordable.
Apple Watches are good, but need charging more frequently than Garmin, but my Garmin doesn’t support all payment cards.
All my cycling mates wear Garmin, and some of these are serious fitness bods.

Ideally, I want it to make me feel fit, sleep well and be able to sit on my arse watching TV while doing it...oh, hang on, mixed it up with them weight loss drugs...
A pal with his Fenix was talking about both his sleep analysis and how accurate it was at stating what rest he needs before his next exercise. This is an ultra fit 60 yr old. He swims throughout the year, breaking reservoir ice in Winter, does ultra runs and cycles alot. The watch/tech works well for him. It also obviously shows heart rate, GPS (which he does use rather than a bar mounted one)
I won't be using it for paying for stuff, I don't use my phone for that. I don't seem to have an issue getting my card/cash out to pay.
Most of the half dozen I rode with last weekend had Wahoo bike computers rather than Garmin (I have a Garmin)
Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[Barnoe]

Ideally, I want it to make me feel fit, sleep well and be able to sit on my arse watching TV while doing it...oh, hang on, mixed it up with them weight loss drugs...
A pal with his Fenix was talking about both his sleep analysis and how accurate it was at stating what rest he needs before his next exercise. This is an ultra fit 60 yr old. He swims throughout the year, breaking reservoir ice in Winter, does ultra runs and cycles alot. The watch/tech works well for him. It also obviously shows heart rate, GPS (which he does use rather than a bar mounted one)
I won't be using it for paying for stuff, I don't use my phone for that. I don't seem to have an issue getting my card/cash out to pay.
Most of the half dozen I rode with last weekend had Wahoo bike computers rather than Garmin (I have a Garmin)
Thanks for the advice chaps.

Don't bother then, what you need your Phone already does
Start using Samsung Health for sleep and exercise combined with My Fitness Pal to track your diet.

Sorted, just saved you £800 on a watch, my fee is only £50. Bargain

 

[Davey B]

Ordered an Instinct 2....it seems to doo all I want and not too pricey. Many thanks to all for the sage advice...thanks to DJ123 for getting me to look lower down the range

 

[Davey B]

Don't bother then, what you need your Phone already does
Start using Samsung Health for sleep and exercise combined with My Fitness Pal to track your diet.

Sorted, just saved you £800 on a watch, my fee is only £50. Bargain

Cheers....I used My Fitness Pal several years ago and it was very very good...but if you met me, you'd know I don't really need it from purely a weight loss/gain point of view. I seem to have gone thru HRM chest straps like they're going out of fashion and used to use them all the time when cycling. The watch will take away the need to use one (I've spent about £150 on them in the last few years as it only seemed to be that genuine garmin ones worked for me)
Anyway...watch ordered, will see how it goes.

 

[Barnoe]

Did you order a Garmin? I think they are slightly more expensive but they are good and aimed more towards fitness.
All smart watches do fitness, but the Garmin is more involved according to my son who is a fitness freak.

They also do the largest screen if your eyesight is like mine lol

 

[Davey B]

Did you order a Garmin? I think they are slightly more expensive but they are good and aimed more towards fitness.
All smart watches do fitness, but the Garmin is more involved according to my son who is a fitness freak.

They also do the largest screen if your eyesight is like mine lol

Yes...see post 11 and 16.

 

[Mr Derek]

Good luck with the fitness project. You seem to have had a bad run of illness and injury and I hope you make the progress you want to. I hope the watch helps. Mine does by giving reminders when I need to move more and a pat on the wrist when I achieve my goals.

Asking which watch here is like asking which bike, tyres, coffee machine or anything else. A hundred replies, a hundred opinions.

Again, good luck and good health.